HFT M 2121 Zacharias Psalm of Praise Luke 1:67-79

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1 HFT M 2121 Zacharias Psalm of Praise Luke 1:67-79 Years ago when our two oldest sons were small boys our family memorized Psalm 50 together. Now, years later, the Lord will periodically bring one of the verses of that Psalm to my mind. The last verse of this Psalm is one that has become especially meaningful to me. It says, Whoever offers praise glorifies me: and to him who orders his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God. I thought of this verse in connection with our study of the Scripture today because Zacharias is such an outstanding example of one who praised God and lived a righteous life. The relationship between praise and obedience is such an important one. As I said earlier, our study today brings us to the closing verses of Luke chapter one. These verses contain Zacharias Psalm of Praise in response to the birth of John. Recall that Zacharias had been silent for more than nine months; so he had plenty of time for reflection on what the angel, Gabriel, had told him that day in the Temple. As we read and meditate on this Psalm of praise you will see that Zacharias time of forced silence was not wasted! Listen carefully now as I read from the Word of God, Luke 1: Zacharias Psalm of Praise contains several divisions of two; two people, the Messiah and His prophet; two times, the past and the future; two central historical figures, Abraham and David; and two significant concepts, the covenant and God s faithful love. In the first division of two, Zacharias looks back at the promises of God which are now fulfilled. I ve called this the Praise of Reflection. But in the latter part of the psalm he is looking forward to the prophetic role of his son so recently born. I ve called that the Praise of Anticipation. Now, let s see what God wants to teach us through this wonderful psalm of praise! The Praise of Reflection It is important for us to note that Zacharias was filled, literally saturated, with the Holy Spirit. In that condition he began to prophesy. There are several things implied by the use of this word. First, it means to burst forth under a sudden impulse in lofty discourse or praise. It also includes declaring a thing which can only be known by divine revelation. It signifies the 1

2 foretelling of future events pertaining especially to the kingdom of God. So Zacharias was both acknowledging and predicting that the events long promised by the prophets were now fulfilled. Zacharias initial declaration of praise begins with a historical reference; Blessed be the Lord God of Israel That particular name for God is first used in Exodus chapter five and verse one. It was the name by which God made Himself known to Pharaoh, king of Egypt. It signified God s special relationship with a group of people who, incidentally, were suffering under Pharaoh s repressive regime. Pharaoh thought he was controlling the people of Israel, but when God identified Himself as the Lord God of Israel, He put Pharaoh on notice about who was really in control. It seems Zacharias is looking back at this historical fact as he blesses God who has visited and redeemed His people. This idea of God visiting His people is found in Exodus chapter 4 and verse 31. Let me quote it for you. And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon them in their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped. Now, remember I talked in the introduction about the Greek literary device of chiasm? Here is the first example. It is the word visited. This same word shows up in verse 78, very near the end of our text, and as you ll see when we get there it has the same meaning. It means to inspect closely, to examine with the eye. The word means properly, to look upon in order to know the state of someone. Then, to visit them with the purpose of aiding those who need aid or alleviating misery. If that definition is correct, and I believe it is, what kind of aid did God provide? [He] redeemed His people. The literal reading of the text is He hath made a ransom for His people. In this usage, a ransom was the price paid to deliver a captive taken in war. This terminology is used repeatedly in the New Testament to refer to Christ and His mission. Jesus Himself said, I came not to be served, but to serve, and to give my life a ransom for many. Part of this Messianic redemption, according to verse 69 was the raising up of a horn of salvation from the house of David. Most likely, this is a quote, or at least a reference to, Psalm 18:2. Incidentally, in this hymn of praise there are at least 16 direct quotes or allusions from the Old Testament, indicating that Zacharias was well-versed in it. 2

3 The house of David is one of the two prominent names mentioned in this psalm. The other name is that of Abraham. These two men stand for the two major periods of Israel s history; the time of the patriarchs and the time of the kingdom. Matthew highlights this truth in chapter one of his gospel when he gives the genealogy of Jesus. He says, So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. The covenants God made with Abraham and with David were great reservoirs of hope to the Jewish people through the ages. The horn of salvation is an important concept in Old Testament literature. The horn was a symbol of strength as evidenced by its use in Psalm 18:2; The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Or Psalm 92:10; But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of a unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil. You may recall in the Old Testament tabernacle that there were four horns at the corners of the brazen altar. If a person was being pursued by the avenger of blood he could catch hold of the horns of the altar and be safe. So the imagery here can refer to Christ, because those who flee to Him and lay hold of Him are saved from the penalty of their sin. Zacharias praised God because He raised up a horn of salvation. In studying the meaning of the word, raised, I discovered something interesting. The majority of times when this word is used in the New Testament it is a reference to someone being raised from the dead; either Christ or some other person! Additionally, it has the idea of bringing something or someone to the attention of the public. Obviously, when someone is raised from the dead, it captures that attention of those who hear it. Again, you see the predictive aspect of Zacharias psalm of praise. Zacharias acknowledges that this horn of salvation, Jesus Christ, was spoken of by the holy prophets since the world began. Since there were no prophets immediately following the creation we understand Zacharias statement to mean that all those who were prophets since that time spoke of the coming of the Redeemer. Notable among these is Jacob s prediction in Genesis 49:10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. 3

4 Malachi, in the last verses of the Old Testament predicted the coming of Elijah, the prophet before the great and notable day of the Lord. We understand that John was that final prophet before the coming of Christ. Christ s birth was predicted by all the prophets that s verse seventy; John is referred to as the prophet of the Highest that s in verse seventy-six. Next, Zacharias praises God for deliverance from their enemies and the hand of all who hate them. Remember, the hand is the symbol of power or control. The prophets foretold the coming of Messiah would bring salvation both politically and spiritually. What they did not see clearly was the separation of the two aspects in Christ s first and second advents. However, it does seem here that Zacharias praises God for the spiritual deliverance. I say that because he is acknowledging that the prophetic scriptures are being fulfilled in Jesus, the Son of David. Satan, death, and sin are the enemies from whom Jesus came to deliver us. Sin is the most dangerous of all, and is properly the only enemy we have to fear. Satan is [outside] us, and can have no power over us, but what he gets through sin. Death is only in our flesh, and shall be finally destroyed (as it affects us) on the morning of the resurrection. Jesus redeems from sin; this is the grand, the glorious, and the important victory. Let us get sin cast out, and then we need, fear neither death, nor the devil. Once again, as you note the word enemies in verse 71 and verse 74 you see how the ideas move toward the center of the text. In verse 71 the deliverance from our enemies [the what] is a fulfillment of God s promises and the oath He made to Abraham. Verse 74 outlines [the why] the results of that deliverance that the people of God may serve Him without fear, that is, without the fear of Satan, sin, and death. Praise the Lord! The reason for this deliverance, according to verse 75, is so that our service may be rendered in holiness and righteousness all the days we live. And note that this holy service is rendered before God; in other words, with the awareness that God sees everything. We are serving in His presence fully conscious that God sees our hearts. This phrase emphasizes the fact that righteousness that is God approved is first internal and then external. God s covenant with Abraham was ratified in Genesis chapter 15. It was not a covenant among equals. In covenants among men, both parties to the covenant would pass between the pieces of the sacrificial animal. In this instance, God passes through the parts of the sacrifice alone. By this He signifies that the covenant is inviolable it is permanent! 4

5 The oath God swore to Abraham refers to Genesis 22:16-18 that included promises of victory over enemies and universal blessing. In this oath, because He could swear by none greater, God swore by Himself that He would surely bless Abraham and his descendants. That promise, Zacharias realizes, is being fulfilled in the coming of Messiah. The words "covenant" and "oath" are central in the chiasm, as mentioned earlier. They appear in verses 73 and 74. The purpose of the oath and covenant was, as I mentioned earlier, so that the people of God (including Israel) could obey, honor, and serve Him without fear. The New Testament makes it clear that as followers of Christ, we needn t have fear of death, spiritual enemies or external opposition from ungodly men. Zacharias gave expression to these concepts from the standpoint of one who lived under the Old Covenant. But his prophetic utterance revealed the deeper meaning attached to them in Jesus Christ. While acknowledging the historical aspects of God s covenant promises, He also prophesied of their spiritual implications. The ultimate goal of Christ s coming was so that the people of God, whether Jew or Gentile, would be delivered from sin in order to serve Him in genuine holiness and righteousness. My friend, this is what God desires of you and me. Trying to live a good moral life is not sufficient. You will recall that earlier in this chapter, Luke stated that both Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless. Yet Elizabeth, in her blessing on Mary spoke of the mother of my Lord. She understood that she needed more than she had. Zacharias prophesies similarly. Are you able to praise God for His salvation in your life? If not, you can experience His life changing power today. Only Christ can make you acceptable in God s sight and equip you by His Holy Spirit to serve Him in genuine holiness and righteousness all the days of your life. The Praise of Anticipation In verse 76 of our text the focus of Zacharias praise changes. Verses 67 to 75 focus on Christ as the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham and David. In verses 76 to 79 the focus turns to the child, John. Consequently, Zacharias begins this portion with the statement And you child shall be called the prophet of the Highest That is, John would be the forerunner of Messiah. Given 5

6 Zacharias familiarity with the Old Testament he would have remembered Scriptures like Malachi 3:1. Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, who you delight in: behold he shall come, says the Lord of Hosts. Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 4:5 may have also been part of Zacharias reflection. They spoke clearly of a prophet who would come (in the spirit of Elijah) to announce the coming of Messiah. I noted in our earlier study that this hymn of praise contains at least 16 direct quotes or allusions from the Old Testament. The ministry of a biblical prophet is twofold. First, he is one who foretells future events. Second, he is a teacher of truth; one who teaches men concerning the things of God. John filled both of these roles. Adam Clake stated that even the meaning of his name, John, (the grace or mercy of Jehovah) was a constant prediction of the salvation of God. Zacharias further states that John would go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways. To go before the face of someone is to immediately precede them. We know from the biblical record that John and Jesus were only approximately six months apart in age. So it is both possible and likely that the beginning of John s ministry and the beginning of Jesus ministry were separated by mere months. The imagery used here of preparing the way would have been familiar to Jewish readers. In the Orient, advancing armies sent messengers before them to inform the native population of their coming. The local people were expected to turn out in force to remove obstructions, make roads, level hills, and fill in valleys, assisting the army in its advance. In Isaiah 40 verses 3 and 4 God is speaking through Isaiah the prophet about the return of the exiles from Babylon. Let me read it for you. The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain. Like many Old Testament prophecies this one has more than one fulfillment. In our text, it is applied metaphorically to the ministry of John. Like the herald announcing the coming of the army John s ministry would, so to speak, remove obstructions, level out the ground and prepare the way for Messiah. 6

7 And what did that preparation consist of? To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins To give knowledge means to instruct someone. Let me remind you that generally speaking, the use of the word knowledge in the Holy Scriptures refers to experiential knowledge, not simply intellectual awareness. While the Jewish people certainly had an understanding of salvation, that understanding would be inadequate for the new paradigm Christ would proclaim. John s ministry was to introduce the basics of that new paradigm so people could begin to readjust their thinking. Remission of sins would have also been a familiar term. The sacrificial procedures so meticulously laid out in the book of Leviticus emphasized again and again the importance of the shedding of blood for the remission of sins! Reflecting on these the writer of Hebrews states; And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Remission of sins is pardon or forgiveness. Remission implies that God will treat the sinner as if he had not committed the sin. Under the Old Covenant the sins of the people were covered by the blood of the animal sacrifices, but not removed. John would bring a new understanding of the concept of remission which included personal repentance. That repentance would be the basis of them receiving forgiveness with God. And how was that remission of sins make available? Through the tender mercy of our God As I said earlier, even the meaning of John s name expressed this attribute of God. Notice, it s not just mercy, but tender mercy; deep-seated love and affection. The King James Version of the Bible usually translates this word as bowels. That was the Hebrew concept of the innermost being, the seat of tender affections. Today, we use the word heart to express this concept; such as saying I love you from the bottom of my heart. Mercy is not receiving what I deserve. Mercy can be given judicially without personal involvement or attachment. A judge in a courtroom can show the mercy permitted by sentencing guidelines to the one convicted of a crime. And he can do it without any personal feelings toward that person. He fulfills his function as an impartial arbiter of the law. But that s not how the tender mercy of God is displayed! The deep-seated love and affection God has for all people moved Him to make salvation available to them. God cannot treat you and me as His friends unless we come to Him in repentance and obtain forgiveness, 7

8 which He is always ready and willing to grant. And when forgiveness is obtained God bestows upon us His tender mercy. This wonderful truth will be the core of John s message! Once again, note the chiasm of mercy; in verse 72, mercy is promised to the patriarchs and in verse 78 that mercy will be introduced by John. Next, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Zacharias refers to John as the dayspring or daystar. Some think this is a reference to Christ, but Adam Clarke and others believe it is a reference to John. I do too. After all, he is the subject of these verses. Dayspring can refer to the very first light in the east at the beginning of a new day, before the rising of the sun. Daystar can refer to that last star that is visible just prior to the coming of dawn. Having spent time in the woods and fields during this part of the early morning I ve been able to observe both of them. These two terms, dayspring and daystar, are synonymous because they occur at the same time. Therefore, John s ministry will signal the greater light that is soon to be revealed. John s light would quickly be eclipsed by the full Son! God s aid would come in the form of John the Baptist whose message would prepare the way for Messiah. So the prophet John will bring the light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace. As you know, death casts a long shadow across the human race. But a shadow is only cast when the light source is coming from one direction. Paul says in Colossians that the law was just a shadow of things to come. The coming of Christ would cause that shadow to disappear in His glorious light. Paul wrote these words in II Timothy 1:10; [Salvation] is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death, and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel This is the message John would proclaim. I want you to take notice of that last phrase to guide our feet in the way of peace. John s ministry would begin to show the people the possibility of genuine peace with God. He would call them to repentance in preparation for receiving the message of salvation. The Jewish people at this point were like blind men groping in the darkness. They had become so accustomed to it that the text says they were, literally, sitting in darkness. The verb tense signifies a continuing condition. Unfortunately, there are many like them today among professing followers of Christ! 8

9 The peace John came to introduce would be personal rather than national. It would focus on relieving the oppression of the soul and spirit rather than political and economic oppression. The imagery of light and peace communicates rest, tranquility, and satisfaction. These gifts are only fully experienced through salvation in Jesus. Today you and I, as followers of Christ, look forward to His second advent. Even though we have the revelation of God to us in the Holy Scriptures, we, see through a glass darkly, as the apostle Paul says. But when Christ returns for His Bride, the Church, we will see Him face to face and all shadows will disappear! Then our salvation will be complete and we will fully understand the meaning of peace. My friend, Zacharias praised God in anticipation of his son s ministry in preparing the way for the first advent of Christ. Are you praising God for the reality of Christ s second appearance? Are you ready for that day? The only way you can be prepared is to accept the gift of salvation offered alone through Jesus. There is NO other way! When you make that choice to accept God s gift of salvation, like Zacharias, you too will have offer the praise of anticipation. Heavenly Father we thank you for revealing yourself to us in your Word. May our meditation on this text be acceptable in your sight and may it impact our lives as we daily anticipate the return of Christ. I ask this in Jesus name, Amen. 9